July 2009

My friend Peggy turned me onto this British kids tv show circa 1970-72 Ace of Wands. With the main character, Tarot, a magic magician and a pet owl named Ozymandias pretty much guarantees I will be purchasing the dvd soon. Sadly, the first two seasons have been wiped, but the third and final seasons were saved, praise be Thoth.

They are playing our ESCALTOR FEST 9/25 and touring down the west coast this summer. If you haven’t seen them live yet you MUST, they seriously blew everyone away at the Funhouse show with Kinski and Eternal Tapestry. We love them.

Like the ultimate Supersaver truck stop cassette, the new album by Wooden Wand (known to the authorities as James Jackson Toth) is music to keep you company on an all-night drive. This go-round the former maker of far outsider noise clamour goes it alone leaving fresh footprints on a well worn road. In the process he manages to create some of his most striking and memorable songs to date. The woeful tale of a disastrous US tour and subsequent abandonment by band and spouse has been seemingly well documented already. It was from this place that this album sprang from, marinated in vinegar and piss but worth savoring. Repeat listens bring to mind a vague feeling of sand stuck between the teeth. It’s most likely been said that feeling good about feeling bad is the best way to feel good again. Acoustic guitars with square wave fuzz accompaniment gets me every time.

“PSYCHIC ILLS, named “Best Psychedelic Rock Band” by the Village Voice Best Of NY Issue, since ascending into stratospheric global cult popularity with their canonical 2006 Social Registry LP Dins (the finest psych rock album since the 1970s. Hands down!), remain uncompromising in their artistry and continue to blaze new sonic trails every day of their relentless touring and recording schedule. Still one of the supreme mind-melting acts in the world!” -so says New York Night Train

Master collagist and future tarotist Steve Quenell has an unveiling of a mural/installation and prints at The Gilt Edge Society tonight, friday july 10, 6-9. It will be up until august 14th, but tonight is the night to party!

The Capitol Hill Watercolor Society will be holding a showing of new works very likely to be pertaining to and inspired by the mysterious and supernatural forces of universe which will be called “Paranormal”.

Opening party Thursday July 9th at 7pm at the Cafe Racer in Seattle (on Roosevelt next to the Trading Musician).

Shannon Freshwater: Congelier House was in Pittsburgh and was America's most haunted houses until it mysteriously blew up. previous owner "experimented" with severed heads.

The Brotherhood of the Spirit commune, later renamed the Renaissance Community was a Northeastern commume active 1968-1988. Check out a thorough history of the commune at the U Mass Amherst site and also puruse the photo gallery.

Witch is another band to come out of the early/mid 70’s Zambian rock scene. the lead dude Emanuel “Jagari” Chanda (Jagari derived from Jagger, as in Mick) was formerly in The Peace. There are varying accounts of how many albums they put out, and I have only been able to find Lazy Bones!! but some say Witch put out five lps. Witch is rumored to be an acronym for We Intend To Cause Havoc which has to be the coolest name EVER.

I have to admit a full on obsession with this music scene has taken over my life. What the fuck was going on in Zambia back then!?! It is seriously blowing my mind…who can make me a time machine?

I also found this whilst researching Witch-make what you will of this…